Patency
Patency
Patency (/ˈpeɪtənsi/; from Latin patens, "open") refers to the state of being open or unobstructed. In a medical context, it is often used to describe the openness of blood vessels, tubes, ducts, or catheters in the body.
Etymology
The term "patency" originates from the Latin word patens, which means "open". It was first used in the English language in the 17th century.
Medical Usage
In medicine, patency is used to describe the state of a lumen (the inside space of a tubular structure, like an artery or intestine) being open and unobstructed. This is crucial for the proper functioning of many systems in the body. For example, the patency of blood vessels is necessary for the circulation of blood, and the patency of the intestines is necessary for the passage of food and waste.
A common medical procedure to restore or maintain patency in the body is angioplasty, where a balloon is inflated inside a blood vessel to push against and open up the vessel wall. Another example is the use of stents, which are small tubes inserted into a passage in the body to keep it open.
Related Terms
- Angioplasty: A procedure to restore blood flow through the artery.
- Stent: A small mesh tube that’s used to treat narrow or weak arteries.
- Lumen: The inside space of a tubular structure, like an artery or intestine.
- Catheter: A thin tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Patency
- Wikipedia's article - Patency
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